My First Post!

Happy Valentine's Day! My office is closed for the second day in a row (SO RARE!) because of the snow so I figured I would start a food blog to try and cure this boredom. I figured what better recipe to start with than some yummy potato soup to warm you up on this cold, snowy day?!

My goal is to post one recipe a week. Now, I don't even know if anyone is going to read this or not, but I enjoy writing and cooking so, here we go.

Creamy Potato Soup

1 pound bacon, roughly chopped
1/4 cup diced onion
1 large carrot, peeled and diced (optional)
1/2 cup diced celery (or more if you like)
6-8 large Russet potatoes, peeled and diced (soak in cold water to keep them from turning brown and this will also get rid of some of the starch)
1/4 cup flour
3 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 cups heavy whipping cream

And your choice of toppings (cheese is a must!)

1. In large pot, cook the bacon until crispy.
2. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels, reserving half for later (topping). In bacon grease, cook onions, carrots, and celery until the onions are translucent.
3. Whisk in flour to make a rue, stir constantly over low heat until the flour is cooked and the mixture has thickened slightly. Add potatoes and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.   Add chicken stock and half of the bacon. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Over medium-high heat, bring the soup to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes or until the potatoes are soft. Mash some of the potatoes for a creamier texture. Add whipping cream and simmer for 5 minutes.

5. Adjust thickness by adding water or broth. Soup should have a creamy consistency.

6. Season to taste, and garnish with toppings.

Let me know what you think and ENJOY! :)